Posted On Monday, March 25, 2013

* * * * * PRESS RELEASE * * * * *

For Immediate Release

SMALL-PRESS PUBLISHER FIGHTS

FUNDERS OVER "U CRE-8 COMICS"

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog." --- Mark Twain. A tried and true parable of passion and perseverance, this timeless quote is about to become my life's mantra as I move forward with my intent to file an injunction against Doug Duncan and Donald Lanouette over the name of their soon-to-launch comapny, "Ucreate Comics." It's a brilliant name, to be sure -- especially for their proposed business intent (a vote-oriented venture capitalist fund for comic book properties), but it rings far too close to my own "U Cre-8 Comics," a programming/product line I've been running for the past three years.

UCre-8 Comics is education-based, using the comic book form as a backdrop to support classroom fundamentals like reading comprehension, vocabulary building, creative writing, arithmetic and more. The lines official, public release came in 2011 as a part of the Columbus Metropolitan/Southwest Public Library's Summer Reading Club with the U Cre-8 Comics: Character Crafter workbook, opening to 27branch presentations that summer and 2 more that fall. The line has been expanded to include nearly 10 more products, each one designed to encourage exploration and entertainment through a particular aspect of comic book creation. Programming has been developed and utilized under the U Cre-8 name, where students can get to know the creative process behind comics, as well as using some of comics' greatest creations to provide social commentary discussions about acceptance, commitment, diligence and more.

U Cre-8 Comics:
Character Crafter

Presenting U Cre-8 Comics at
C2E2 in 2012.

The U Cre-8 Comics: Character Crafter, (which charges users to create their own custom comic book characters, complete with costume design and origin story) has been been used extensively in classrooms throughout Central Ohio, by forward-thinking teachers, who find the U Cre-8 Comics line as an exciting approach to engage their students. It's also become a highly demanded workshop/panel at multiple comic book conventions, particularly in the Mid-West/East Coast regions, with repeat performances at Derby City Comic Con (Lexingtong, KY), Champion City Comic Con (Springfield, OH), Kokomo-Con (Kokomo, IN), Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo (Chicago, IL) and New York Comic Con (New York, NY). This year, it's been slated to premiere at three Wizard World shows (Philadelphia, Ohio and Nashville) and talks have begun to bring it to the East Coast Black Age Comic Con in Philadelphia this May. AtC2E2 this year, we will also be launching our newest workbook, U Cre-8 Comics: United Superheroes of America (where students will conduct research about one of the fifty states and build a superhero from the information they attain) as a feature of the weekend-long Kids Events.

Students at Genoa Middle
School in Westerville, OH

As a fulltime, small press publisher, the U Cre-8 line represents a HUGE crux of my financial livelihood. I've worked incredibly hard to to make it such a viable success and I can't allow another organization to infringe on its name. I'm well aware of the potential battle this injunction could erupt into, especially considering the financial backing of my opposition (they boast having a million dollar fund!) and the celebrity support they've secured (Neal Adams and Kevin Smith). But, the work I've accomplished so far deserves no less than a fight to the finish to keep the U Cre-8 name alive and thriving. So far, my attempts to address this matter have yet to yield any results, making my intent to file not only practical, but necessary. Still, I'm confident this matter can be worked out for the best for all involved.